International impact of the Great Depression and the buildup to World War II Fascism

benito mussolini (left) , adolf hitler (right)

the conditions of economic hardship caused great depression brought international surge of social unrest. according historian philip morgan, onset of great depression...was greatest stimulus yet diffusion , expansion of fascism outside italy . fascist propaganda blamed problems of long depression of 1930s on minorities , scapegoats: “judeo-masonic-bolshevik” conspiracies, left-wing internationalism , presence of immigrants.

in germany, contributed rise of national socialist german workers party, resulted in demise of weimar republic , establishment of fascist regime, nazi germany, under leadership of adolf hitler. rise of hitler , nazis power in 1933, liberal democracy dissolved in germany , nazis mobilized country war, expansionist territorial aims against several countries. in 1930s, nazis implemented racial laws deliberately discriminated against, disenfranchised , persecuted jews , other racial , minority groups.

fascist movements grew in strength elsewhere in europe. hungarian fascist gyula gömbös rose power prime minister of hungary in 1932 , attempted entrench party of national unity throughout country. created eight-hour work day, forty-eight-hour work week in industry , sought entrench corporatist economy; , pursued irredentist claims on hungary s neighbors. fascist iron guard movement in romania soared in political support after 1933, gaining representation in romanian government , iron guard member assassinated romanian prime minister ion duca. during 6 february 1934 crisis, france faced greatest domestic political turmoil since dreyfus affair when fascist francist movement , multiple far-right movements rioted en masse in paris against french government resulting in major political violence. variety of para-fascist governments borrowed elements fascism formed during great depression, including of greece, lithuania, poland , yugoslavia.

integralists marching in brazil

in americas, brazilian integralists led plínio salgado claimed many 200,000 members although following coup attempts faced crackdown estado novo of getúlio vargas in 1937. in 1930s, national socialist movement of chile gained seats in chile s parliament , attempted coup d état resulted in seguro obrero massacre of 1938.

during great depression, mussolini promoted active state intervention in economy. denounced contemporary supercapitalism claimed began in 1914 failure because of alleged decadence, support unlimited consumerism , intention create standardization of humankind . fascist italy created institute industrial reconstruction (iri), giant state-owned firm , holding company provided state funding failing private enterprises. iri made permanent institution in fascist italy in 1937, pursued fascist policies create national autarky , had power take on private firms maximize war production. while hitler’s regime nationalized 500 companies in key industries 1940s, mussolini declared in 1934 “[t]hree-fourths of italian economy, industrial , agricultural, in hands of state”. due worldwide depression, mussolini’s government able take on of italy’s largest failing banks, held controlling interest in many italian businesses. institute industrial reconstruction, state-operated holding company in charge of bankrupt banks , companies, reported in 1934 held assets of “48.5 percent of share capital of italy”, later included capital of banks themselves. political historian martin blinkhorn estimated italy’s scope of state intervention , ownership “greatly surpassed in nazi germany, giving italy public sector second of stalin’s russia”. in late 1930s, italy enacted manufacturing cartels, tariff barriers, currency restrictions , massive regulation of economy attempt balance payments. italy s policy of autarky failed achieve effective economic autonomy. nazi germany pursued economic agenda aims of autarky , rearmament , imposed protectionist policies, including forcing german steel industry use lower-quality german iron ore rather superior-quality imported iron.